Refrigerator



Nov. 15, 1938. G Ho 'N 2,136,362

REFR IGERATOR Filed Sept. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. WITNESSES: 4 6807198 Hop/(ins A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 15, 193 8 UNITED STATES Search R PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR.

George J. Hopkins, Kendallville, Ind., assignmto McCray Refrigerator Company, Kendallville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application September 24, 1936, Serial No. 102,277

4 Claims.

The instant invention relates to refrigerators and more particularly to refrigerators of the cooler type whose refrigerating arrangement is particularly well adapted for installation in coolers such as are used in meat markets and the like where head room conservation is desirable.

Although it is desirable to reduce the height of cooler rooms from the standpoint of economy, both in construction and in operation, but since adequate head room for the purpose of moving about therein is necessary, it will be recognized that it is desirable that the space occupied by the cooling apparatus be held to a minimum. With the above situation in mind, cooler rooms have been designed which employ relatively small coils but such small coils forced the carrying of temperatures therein so low that humidity in the air within the cooler was frozen out with the result that the stock therein dried up because of the low relative humidity within the cooler.

The primary objects of the present invention are therefore to provide a refrigerated cooler whose height is such that it is both economical in manufacture and in operation; to provide such a cooler having suflicient head room and inside space; and, to provide such a cooler having a cooling apparatus therein which is adapted for maintaining correct temperatures and relative humidity.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a refrigerator of the so-called cooler type and its cooling apparatus on line l-l of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the cooling apparatus on line 44 of Figure 5;

Figure 5 is a sectional view thereof on line 5- -5 of Figure 4, a portion thereof being broken away; and

Figure 6 is a sectional and top plan view on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring then to these drawings in which like parts of the refrigerator and its cooling apparatus therein shown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, a refrigerator of the so-called cooler type such as is used in meat inside thereof is an overhead intake manifold I! in communication with the intake conduit l8 connected with the discharge port of the compressor. This intake conduit is provided with a valve 11, preferably and as here shown, of the thermostatic expansion type.

At the opposite end l2 of the refrigerator and likewise on the inside thereof is an overhead discharge manifold [8, both manifolds being disposed in parallelism and in parallelism with their respective end walls with which they lie adjacent as best shown in Figure 1.

A plurality of spaced horizontally disposed overhead refrigerating conduits IB, here shown as comprising a pair of spaced batteries A and B (see Figure 3), disposed adjacent opposite side walls I0, I I of the refrigerator and as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, communicate at their several respective opposite ends with the intake manifold I5 and with the discharge manifold Ill.

The plurality of spaced refrigerating conduits l9 of each battery A, B are provided with transverse and vertically disposed fins 20 which are each secured to and embrace each conduit in the battery. Depending brackets 2| having hooked ends engaging a refrigerating conduit of each battery and suspended from supporting members 22, are here shown as provided for the overhead support of the refrigerating conduits l9 and their manifolds I5, I8.

A discharge conduit 23 is provided at one end with a standpipe 24 disposed within the discharge manifold l8 and its other end is connected with the suction port of the compressor. This standpipe has a pair of oil draining apertures 25 intermediate its height whose function is hereinafter set forth and a feeler or control bulb 26 connected with and for operating the thermostatic expansion valve l1 lies adjacent and in contact with the discharge conduit 23.

Insulated drip pans 21, 28 disposed at an angle beneath both batteries A, B of refrigerating conduits IQ for catching and retaining the water of condensation are likewise provided and run longitudinally of the refrigerator to whose ends they are secured in any conventional manner and from which drip pans outlet conduits, not shown, may be provided.

Operation In operation and assuming the interior of the refrigerant by the compressor through the discharge conduit 23 before it expands into gas within the refrigerating conduits l9 and to prevent the accumulation of oil in the discharge manifold l8 resulting from the relatively low velocity of gas passing through the refrigerating conduits IS, the oppositely disposed apertures 25 within the standpipe 24 are provided.

Positive thermostatic circulation of air up the walls where the heat leak is greatest and thence downwardly through the finned refrigerating conduits I9 is thus provided and as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2 representing air convection currents.

It will thus be seen that the refrigerator and its cooling apparatus herein shown and described (1) provides broad refrigerating spread which intercepts maximum circulation within the refrigerator, (2) provides conservation of height within the refrigerator because of the type of cooling apparatus, (3) provides against oil logging within the cooling apparatus, (4) provides a constant pool of refrigerant ready and capable of assuming any unusual load such as upon the opening of the door of the refrigerator in which instance there is no practical disturbance of either temperature or relative humidity, (5) provides for uniform flooding of cold air within the refrigerator, (6) provides for eflicient and superior heat absorption capacity because of the circulation-of air through large area finned liquidladen tubing, (7 provides for an eificiently operating compressor since the heat absorbing ability of the cooling apparatus enables back pressure and resultant temperature to be carried high, (8) provides a gentle temperature system which maintains a more advantageous relative humidity condition under abnormal service bY boiling more of the liquid which is always present in the tubing, (9) provides a novel double header or manifold construction at opposite ends of the refrigerator, and (10) provides a cooling apparatus which maybe serviced with one valve resulting in economy in adjustment.

While but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator provided with an overhead intake manifold disposed at one end thereof communicating with a valved intake conduit, an overhead discharge manifold disposed at the other end of the refrigerator, a plurality of spaced horizontally disposed overhead refrigerating conduits communicating at their respective opposite ends with the intake manifold and discharge manifold, a plurality of spaced fins trans;

versely secured to and embracing each of the plurality of refrigerating conduits, a discharge 5 conduit provided with a standpipe disposed within the discharge manifold, said standpipe having an oil draining aperture therein intermediate its height, and a thermostatic element contacting the dischargmdulr'foroperating the valved intake conduit.

2. A refrigefator provided with an overhead intake manifold disposed at one end thereof communicating with a valved intake conduit, an overhead discharge manifold disposed at the other end of the refrigerator, a plurality of spaced horizontally disposed overhead refrigerating conduits communicating at their respective opposite ends with the intake manifold and discharge manifold, a plurality of spaced fins transversely secured to and embracing each of the plurality of refrigerating conduits, a discharge conduit provided with a standpipe disposed within the discharge manifold, and a thermostatic element contacting thg dis cliirge co'fiduit for I I e va vrfintake conduit.

re rigerator provided with an overhead intake manifold disposed at one end thereof communicating with a valved intake conduit, an overhead discharge manifold disposed at the other end of the refrigerator, a plurality of spaced horizontally disposed overhead refrigerating conduits communicating at their respective opposite ends with the intake manifold and discharge manifold, a plurality of spaced fins transversely secured to and embracing each of the plurality of refrigerating conduits, a discharge conduit provided with a standpipe disposed within the discharge manifold, said standpipe having an oil draining aperture therein intermediate its height, and a thermostatic glement for operatng the valved intakedfidiiit.

4. A refrigerator" provided with an overhead intake manifold disposed at one end thereof comelement for operating the val a e conduit.

GEURGETHOPK'IZNS 

